Lessons from a Wipe Warmer

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."  John 1:5

I knew before having kids that the Lord had a lot to teach me through my own child and it's been a paradox of wonderful, hard, funny and even painful at times. It is amazing how He can use the smallest of things to teach us and encourage us. Here is one such example.

Soooo, pre-baby I thought there was no need for such a frivolous thing as a wipe warmer. My mom asked me a couple of times before Avery's arrival if I was sure I didn't want to pick one up from the store. I assured her that our baby would be just fine without one...

Fast forward to when we brought our baby girl home and diaper changes really began...she didn't like being changed one bit and let me know right away that she did not appreciate those cold wipes on her little bum! I was headed to the store in flash and a wipe warmer was purchased. (This would be the first of many things I had the wrong idea about! lol) This particular wipe warmer said it had a cute little heart shaped light that seemed like it would be handy for making a little light in the dark. I snatched that thing up, checked out, zipped home and got those wipes warming! (And it did in fact make diaper changes more bearable for us both!)

In the beginning, as long as you were holding Avery just right, bouncing her just right and keeping your toes crossed, she would sleep in a sunny room or a dark room but we very quickly realized that if we actually wanted to put her down to nap, any light whatsoever stimulated her and kept her awake.When you have a child that is difficult to get to sleep and stay asleep, sleep becomes a top priority! My mission became making her room as dark as possible. Heavy blackout curtains were purchased and blankets were even placed on the tops of those to drown out the sunlight that tried to peak over the top. 

Here was the thing though...the darker I tried to make the room, the more light I would find!! Light seeped in from everywhere...under the door (towel placed at bottom of door), through the sides of the door, the green light from the smoke detector, the fun lights from the humidifier indicating it was on and that lovely heart shaped light on her wipe warmer. I had little burp cloths tucked in and draped over anything with a light and trust me it sure makes for a designer looking baby room. BUT there was this one thing I couldn't get covered good enough - the wipe warmer. I would cover it with all kinds of things only to find light was still shining out. 

I couldn't believe such tiny lights could make such light in a dark room. During the day and with the other lights on, they weren't even noticeable but in the dark they were annoyingly bright. 

Walking around, bouncing Avery one night, I was trying to think of another way to cover up that light. I could feel the Lord speaking to my heart about how His light shines in the darkness, even more brightly in the darkness. Every single day the news is full of stories that can seem overwhelmingly depressing and even scary. In our own families and neighborhoods we hear of hard times for people we love. Perhaps you yourself are walking through a dark season in your life. Keep holding on, His light will pierce through that darkness - a beautiful sunset, a light breeze in the heat of the day, a card that shows up out of the blue, a hug, a song. 

I do not say these things with some romanticized idea that it makes whatever you're going through seem so much better right now. Honestly I hesitate to write with such hope at times because I see all the struggles people are going through. Don't buy into the lies that Jesus doesn't care, the He doesn't love you or you wouldn't be going through this, that He isn't strong enough to fix "it." He does care, He loves you DEEPLY, He does have a plan, He grieves with you and will strengthen you moment by moment. 

Those that spread the love, peace and truth of Jesus shine in the darkness. Remember that your smallest acts of kindness to people can be His light that pierces through the darkness in someone else's life. I know that there is darkness in the world and I do not understand so many things - why does this person have to be sick? Why did that accident happen? How could somebody do that? but I am more confident still that Jesus has already won the ultimate battle and darkness cannot overcome His light. 

I write this to remind myself on hard days that the darkness cannot overcome the light! Thank you, Jesus!